The Big 3-5

So, today is my 35th birthday. I don't know why, but I never pictured myself actually turning 35. I suppose I thought Jesus would have come back by now. Not sure why I never thought I would see this day. Can you sense my excitement here? Nah, didn't think so. I don't know why, but I am having a hard time with turning 35. Maybe it's because I remember when my mom was 35 and I thought she was old (of course I was only 9 years old, but whatever....). I remember when my husband turned 35 six years ago. Somehow, he didn't seem to be bothered by it. I think that I may feel strange about this birthday because in my mind 35 is the dividing line between being young and actually being an adult. I never aspired to be an adult. I always wanted to stay in my early twenties and here I am all the way to 35. I have so many friends who are in their 40's, 50's and 60's and they all seem so young to me - what's up with that?

I guess there is nothing I can do except choose to be thankful for my 35 years experience in this life. I have learned a lot-- most of it the hard way. I have 35 years worth of experiences to teach my children from. I pray they learn mostly from listening and not always from failure. I am thankful 35 years worth of undeserved blessings from God. My life is a true example of God's grace and mercy. Even though I was saved at 14, only in the past 10 years have I really experienced true growth in my walk with Jesus. I pray that the next 10 years (45? Hang on I need to take a deep breath) will be a time of unbelieveable growth in my relationship with the Lord.

Last night I was trying to think of some of the major lessons I have learned so far in my life and I decided that there are so many I could never type them all out. Here are just a few:

*God loves me even though I have offended Him terribly at times.

*There is no need trying to cover my sin - God will uncover it - and then cover it with the blood of His Son Jesus, so I may as well 'fess up immediately

*If you eat a whole bag of Hershey's Kisses you will gain approximately 1 1/2 pounds by morning

*When you hit 33 your metabolism does not slow down - it stops altogether

*Hating someone makes you their servant

*When I hold onto my sin (guilt) I am telling Jesus that what He did on the cross was not good enough

*When I ask God to forgive me He actually does it the first time I ask - when I continue to ask forgiveness for sins He has already forgiven I display a HUGE lack of faith and in turn sin yet again

*I don't look good in really short hair (learned the hard way)

*I shouldn't judge people who make bad choices or do wrong things - if given the opportunity, I may do the same - afterall we are all weak in our flesh

*When we go to the far country, we come back changed forever

*I am no better than anyone else in the eyes of the God who made us all

*Big shirts only make me look bigger - fitted is much more flattering

*Hang on loosely to 'stuff' in this life - in the end it means NOTHING

*Don't defend yourself against negative attacks - Jesus never defended Himself

*Keep short accounts of sin with God - if I don't confess my sins immediately I will forget them, but God can't forget them because His son died for them

*Be thankful for the valleys, that is where my faith has been built

*No matter where I am or where I go, I am a reflection of God to others - I can be a poor relflection sometimes

*Sin is sin - my sins are just as ugly and vile to God as the sins of those who are on death row

*Never wear mules with pants that are too short

*Jeans that are too tight might squeeze in the bottom, but you will look like the Michelin man up top -- better to have looser fitting jeans than to look like a muffin

*Vanity and pride go hand in hand --- oh how vain and prideful I can be! ;-(

*True friends are hard to come by - fake friends are easy to make

*A single word can crush a spirit - I have been the crusher and the crushed - no fun either way

*I am not good at having babies - c-sections both times - doctor says my body is not made for pushing out babies - --I thought big hips were a good thing when it came to giving birth?

*It is better to be happy than to be right

*Men truly ARE from Mars (or some equally strange place)- I dont know where women came from - jury is still out on us

*You can be happy no matter what your stage or position in life

*Don't expect your children to act like adults and adults should not continually act like children

*My past sins do not determine who I am today in Christ

*"Cast all your cares on Him for He careth for you"

*There is nothing I can do to gain or lose the love of God